Disc two takes us "In The Snakepit: naked instrumental remixes of the original hits ~ "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE", "FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE", "I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER" ~ twenty four tracks of non-stop Motown memories with dialogue introducing each cue ~ the last track "YOU'RE MY EVERYTHING", featuring The Temptations & James Jamerson is a rare highlight ~ you can't help but fall for this double beautiful collection of what made Motown so great...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Hip-O Records 66365 ~ (5/11/2004)


Motor City Power!   December 8, 2004
 11 out of 14 found this review helpful

I am, as I write this, listening to "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey from this CD. It never occurred to me until now that it was the Funk Brothers that played this. But as soon as the tune started it hit me like a slap in the face and took me back to the late '60s when I was in elementary school/junior high. For that reason alone it's on my short list of stocking stuffers for X-mas. I already own the DVD of the movie. For ANYONE even remotely interested in Motown or the Motown sound you need this CD. This is THE band. Unsung heroes finally getting their due, even if it is posthumously for quite a few of them.




Motown... the house that FUNK built!   December 22, 2005
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I almost crapped myself when i spotted this!

I had the one disc version and the DVD, both of which I enjoyed immensly. This, however, is the iceing on the cake! The 'snakepit' instrumentals is a joy to behold, and shows you that without the dynamics and unison of this band, Most of Motown acts would have scrubbed up no better or worse than Tom Jones or Dusty! The basswork of James Jamerson is self explanitory. Melodies that groove don't really sound this great, but James defined what that singing bass was alllll about. There's as much lyricism in his lines as in the vocal versions themselves!

The bonus tracks on disc one include 'Boom Boom Boom,' and the evergreen 'Higher' by Jackie Wilson, a perfect piece of pop, with Jamerson Sitting on the groove all the way. Dennis Coffey's 'Scorpio' is a breaks classic, the bongo break has long been a staple of Hip Hop sampling. I never knew it was the Funk Brothers on the groove!

The version of 'Heard it Through the Grapevine' kicks like a mule and hook you right in from the off. 'Don't Mess With Bill' is the instrumental side of the Motown revue, with very Jazzy guitar work and Jamerson's bass way out in front. This would be annoying if it weren't for his awesome melodic lines, dem lines!

The final track on disc 2 is Jamerson solo with the Temptations, real history...

If you play bass, start your melodic life here! If you don't, just dance!!!


Your mind will be blown and you may not be able to handle it.   August 2, 2005
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I thought that I loved Motown because of the terrific singers. I now realize that I love Motown because of the Funk Brothers. My favorite is the 2nd CD which is instrumentals. Whoa! I felt something real. And I realized that the singers, for the most part, were totally unneccessary. The Funk Brothers? Necessary. The music is tight, natural and raw -- yet beautiful, sweet, surprisingly thoughful. Cool but extremely heated. When you hear "It's A Shame" and "Ain't no mountain high enough..." Oooh. Get it.


The Funk Brothers: Unsung Musical Heroes   July 1, 2006
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Every musician knows what its like to be unappriciated in the music they perform. STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN reveals the work and hits of soul performers: The Funk Brothers. This group of professional jazz musicians were the official band that Motown called into the studio to perform the music for the studio's pop artists. Artist after artist, and hit after hit, The Funk Brothers were the musicians who brought the classic soul hits to the public's ears, but never received any credit for their performances. The band consists of guitars, basses, percussion, backing vocals, strings, horns, and keyboards. These parts are all performed by professionals and they display how "any singer could be placed in front of this band, but it was The Funk Brothers who brought the music to life." This is quite apparent for the singers who perform on these live and studio records. These CD's are the work of bringing The Funk Brothers their much delayed credit of performing hit after hit. And the band needs as much attention as one can give them. Not that Joan Osborne, Bootsy Collins, Gerald Levert, Ben Harper, and Chaka Khan aren't amazing musicians. These singers know how to perform soul to its full extent. STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN is a must have for any fan of great music.

Stand out tracks include:
"(Love Is Like) A Heat Wave"
"Reach Out I'll Be There"
"Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
"Shotgun"
"What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted"
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
"Cloud Nine"
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
"Boom Boom"
"My Girl"
"I Can't Get Next To You"